Astronaut Reveals Depression After Deluge of Harassment After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also included celebrity crewmates.

The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the landing.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on gynecological science and conducted tests during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the tide of sexist vitriol.

She is best known for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for victims of sexual violence.

Her own goal of reaching space was put on hold after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

Finding Solid Ground

Now, eight months after reaching space, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she affirmed.

She added that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.

Flight Details

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the edge of space.

The diverse crew also featured accomplished professionals from different industries.

The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.